Tom DeLay: God 'wrote the Constitution'

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, is in the news again for saying God wrote the U.S. Constitution. See some other highlights during his time in and out of Congress.

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In 2013, DeLay's conviction for his campaign finance activities was overturned by an appeals court, citing legally insufficient evidence. The Travis County DA's office has said they will appeal the decision.

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DeLay joined the ABC reality series "Dancing with the Stars" during its ninth season. He and his partner, Cheryl Burke, eventually had to bow out due to injury.

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But DeLay had an even earlier run in with "Dancing with the Stars" during its third season. He openly touted country singer Sara Evans as being a bastion of "good moral values" and a "GOP ally". Evans would later resign in the midst of fierce divorce battle that resulted in multiple accusations of adultery.

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In 2009, DeLay made comments regarding President Barack Obama's birth certificate. In an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews, he said, "I would like the president to produce his birth certificate ... I can, most illegal aliens here in America can. Why can't the president of the United States produce a birth certificate?"

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After leaving Congress, DeLay wrote and published a memoir "No Retreat, No Surrender: One American's Fight." Amidst the accusations and insults hurled at liberal members of Congress, Slate reported the book revived a "false" story about the Clinton administration considering a ban on military uniforms from White House grounds.

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Alongside the 2002 campaign finance investigation and trial, authorities had also linked DeLay to Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff's Indian lobbying scandal. Though two of DeLay's former aides were convicted in the ensuing trial, authorities ended their investigation into this ties with the matter.

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In 2011, Tom DeLay was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a scheme to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002. The case lasted several years. (AP Photo/Travis County Sheriff's Office)

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Eight years later, Tom DeLay became House Majority leader. During his tenure, he helped redraw congressional lines that transformed seven Democratic districts into Republican ones.

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DeLay became majority whip in the U.S. Congress in 1995 and earned the nickname, "the Hammer." During his time as whip, he had a hand in starting the K-Street Project, meant to punish lobbies with ties to Democratic lawmakers.

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DeLay eventually entered Congress in 1984 when then Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, gave up his position to run for Senate. A year later, DeLay would become a born-again Christian.

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In 1978, at the beginning of his political career, Tom DeLay won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, the first time a Republican was elected to the state house from Fort Bend County.

SAN ANTONIO — God must have had one heck of a powdered wig, or former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay would have made a lousy history teacher.

The Sugar Land Republican made news this week when he voiced his concern that the government is becoming secular because “we stopped realizing that God created this nation, that he wrote the Constitution, that it's based on biblical principles” during a recent television appearance with San Antonio Pastor Matt Hagee.

James Madison, the lead author of the United States Constitution and the fourth president of the United States who died in 1836, could not be reached for comment.

After citing a Bible verse, DeLay boasted that he “sealed off the Capitol so that for three hours leaders from the House and Senate got on their knees seeking the face of God and praying.”

DeLay also predicted an awakening from God “is coming.”

“I really feel now that the Lord has heard us, I see the Holy Spirit moving and I pray every day for an awakening in this country and I think it's coming,” he said.

Matt Hagee is the executive pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, which has 19,000 members. He is the son of Pastor John Hagee, founder of the church, and the discussion was broadcast this week on John Hagee Ministries' Global Evangelism Television.

DeLay served as a state representative from 1979-1985 and a U.S. Congressman from 1985 until he resigned in 2006 after being indicted in Austin on conspiracy charges.

In 2011, DeLay was convicted of conspiracy to violate election law and sentenced to three years in prison. His conviction was overturned in September and the former congressman was acquitted without serving jail time.